Time-delay device for actuating valves and the like



April 22, 1947. R. D. DELAMERE TIME-DELAY DEVICE FOR AQTUATING' VALVES AND THE LIKE Filed March 19, 1946 an lie-r1761 Pa e D De7amer Patented Apr. 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE TIME-DELAY DEVICE FOR ACTUATING VALVES AND THE LIKE Rudolf D. Delamere, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application March 19, 1946, Serial No. 655,466

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like.

One object of this invention is to provide a simplified time-delay means.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for rapidly resetting the device after the device has automatically adjusted the valve or other like means.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved and simplified means for opening and closing stop-cock valves, such as are employed as standard gas cocks in gas heaters, after a predetermined time-delay.

According to my invention, there is provided a sleeve mounted on a valve actuating shaft and means for retarding rotation of the sleeve on the shaft preferably a viscous material between the shaft and the sleeve, the sleeve being adapted to rotate slowly on the shaft, a member projectin from said sleeve, a cord connected to the projecting member and means for exerting a pull on the shaft, such as may be obtained by forming the cord of elastic material and connecting its free end to a fixed part or by connecting a spring or a weight to the unconnected end of the cord, the cord being adapted to be wound around the sleeve with its free end depending to unwind the cord and thereby to slowly rotate the sleeve without turning the shaft and when fully unwound to pull the projecting member downward at increased torque so as to finally turn the shaft and thereby close the valve. Other features of the invention are a handle attached to the sleeve whereby the sleeve can be rotated to wind the cord about the sleeve; a catch actuated when the cord is unwound to positively engage and rotate the valve; and an adjustable slip clutch to permit rapid rotation of the shaft relative to the valve for rewinding the cord.

The novel features of the invention'as shown in a preferred embodiment will hereinafter appear in detail in the description that follows and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts, and in: which t Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device and valve, partly broken away, to show the shaft;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof partly broken away to, show the rear disc withthe bellcrank lever in the inoperative position;

Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof partly crank lever in the operative position;

Figure4 is a perspective view of part of the broken away to show the rear disc with the bell- 2 device and the valve with the rear disc shown partly cut away; 7

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the valve with the device shown in section; and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the device isshown connected to a stop-cock l of a standard gas valve 2 of a gas heater. A stop pin 3 is in contact with face 4 of the valve housing when the stopcock is in the fully open position and in contact with face 5 of the valve housing when the stopcock is in the fully closed position. Thestopcock I has a stem handle 6.

A housing 7 is bolted to the stem handle 6 by bolts 8 and 9 extending through openings in the housing 1 and openings in thestem handle. A segmental plate It extends from the housing I at substantially right angles to the shaft l 5 which is journalled in openings in the side walls of the housing I. This shaft is offsetfrom the centre line of the stop-cock. The plate l3 projects beyond the casing forming a shoulder 14 which is substantially vertical as shown in Fig. 4 when the gas cock is open. The shaft I5 is provided with a peripheral groove IS on which a screw l9 in an opening in the housing 1 bears so as to act as an adjustable slip clutch to prevent the shaft from rotating unless a predetermined rotating pressure is applied thereto.

Mounted on the shaft I5 is a bobbin comprising a drum or sleeve 20 having discs 2| and 22 fastened on it. Between the shaft and the sleeve is aviscous bearing material of such viscosity as to permit the sleeve to rotate about the shaft when a slight torque is applied thereto, and to rotate the shaft when a greater torque is applied thereto. Many viscous materials may be used, in particular a mixture of resin and a petroleum grease or oil, but I prefer to use one of the silicones whose viscosity does not vary appreciably within a normal temperature range. Disc 22 has calibration markings 23 on its face representing numerals 1 to 10 and also a handle 24.

Near the periphery of disc 2| is a slot 24-. A bell-crank lever 25 is pivotally fastened to the disc by means of a hollow rivet 26. The bellcrank lever has projections 21 and 28 extending at right angles to the plane of the disc but on opposite sides of the disc, the projection 21 extending through slot 24, The projection 28 .has a hole 28' therein. A cord 29 knotted at one end and having a weight 66 at the other end extends through the hollow rivet 26 and the hole 28'..

In use, with the valve in the closed position (see Figure 5), handle .24 is employed to rotate the disc 22 and with it the sleeve 20 so as to wind the cord 29 about the sleeve. The sleeve 20 can be rotated rapidly so as to turn the shaft I with it through the friction of the viscous bearing material. The rotating shaft l5, being held securely in the housing 1 by the clutch-screw ill, moves the housing with it and thereby moves the stop cock I from the closed position to the open position as shown in Figure 1. Further rotation causes the shaft E5 to rotate relative to the housing 1 by reason of slipping of the shaft relative. to screw [9. The taut cord holds the bell-crank lever 25 in the upper position as. shown in Fig. 2, so that during the winding movement the pro.- jection 21 is clear of the shoulder Hi.

When the cord is thus wound around the sleeve to the desired extent, the handle is released and the weight 30 gradually drops under the effect of gravity unwinding the cord 29 and thereby rotating the sleeve 20. The VlSCOlls material permits the sleeve to rotate slowly on the shaft iii. The initial torque is slight because the pull ofthe weight is exerted at or near the-centre line of the stem of the gas coc SO that the gas cock i not turned. However, when the cord is fully unwound, it will drop to position shown in Fig. 4. The pull will thus be exerted at point further from the centre line, i. e. the radius of force exerted and thus the torque will be increased, and will be furtherincreased as the disc 25 rotates. The weight will then exert a downward pull near the periphery of disc 21. The increased torque will cause the shaft to turn in an are or orbit around the centre line of the stop-cock stem thus turning the stop-cock i from the open position to the closed position.

By offsetting the centre line of the bobbin relative, to the centre line ofthe stop-cock in the horizontal plane when the stop-cool; is open and in the vertical plane when it is closed (as appears clearly in Figs. 5 and 6) the pull of the cord is radialto the stopcock-whenthe stop-cookie open untilit leaves the drum or sleeve 28 of the bobbin, andtherefor-e produces no torque on the stopcock. This offset maybe varied, to suit special conditions, so as to produce a negative or positive torque up to the time the cord leaves the drum, that is to say the centre line of the depending portion of the cord as it unwinds may be either to the left or to the right of the centre line of the, gas cock when in open position.

An example of where negative torque would be desirable would be where the device is used to operate apractically frictionless mercury switch,

which would tend to turn if veryslight torque :5

was applied thereto. On the otherhand a heavy or very stiff valve might require a positive offset i, e. the centre line of the dependent cord would be to the right of the centre line of the bobbin when facing the outer side thereof.

It will be understood that to get the above results it is necessary to select a viscous material of such viscosity as to permitrotation of the sleeve on the shaft at such speed as to give the desired; time delay. Further the viscousmaterial must be selected to permit the sleeve to rotate sufficiently slowly that the additional torque applied thereto will have time to operate the gas ooclg, Variation in viscosity or opera i g conditions may affect the operation. I thereiore prefer to use positive means for actuating the valve. Thi I achieve by en aging th shoulder it of the, segment i3 the bell-crank lever as hereafter sc d- When the cord 29 is completely unwound from the sleeve 29 it hangs perpendicularly and thereby turns the bellcrank lever 25 causing projection 21 to drop in slot M to the position shown in Fig. 4 engaging shoulder M of segment 13 on housing 'I'. As the weight drops further rotation of the disc 2! rotates housing I and turns cockstop I which is bolted to it, thus closing the valve. The calibration markings 23 on the face of disc 22 are employed to set the device, to act after a predetermined time. In Fig. 2 the cord is shown with only one turn around the sleeve. By turning the handle anti-clockwise the cord may be Wound up. The operator will know from experience the number of turns and part turns required to obtain the desired time delay for actuating the valve. Fractions of a turn will be indicated by the lowermost number on the disc.

The clutch-screw I9 is screwed down so that force produced by the Weight is insufiicient to cause the shaft IE to rotate relative to the housing so that turning of the shaft as above described will cause the housing, and hence the stop-cock to turn. However, the screw is not tightened sufficiently to prevent rotation relative to the shaft when the sleeve is turned manually with ordinary speed and force by means of handle 2% in the rewinding or setting operation. It is obvious that the slip clutch may be eliminated and the device re-wound by turning the sleeve on the shaft against the friction of the viscous material. If the slip. clutch is eliminated the housing is not required. and the shaft [5 may be secured direct to the stop-cock or made integral therewith.

While the device has. been described with particular reference to a stop-cock type of valve it can be employed with valves or switches of all types and is not to be limited thereto. While the cord has been described as being pulled by a weight it. is obvious thatv a spring may be sub.- stituted' for the weight or the cord may be of resilient material and secured to a fixed part. Applicants invention is not to be limited to the specific construction described but is to be construed broadly in accordance with, the appended claims.

What I" claim as my invention is:

1. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for-opening and closing the valve, a. shaft secured to the rotatable valve member, a sleeve journall'ed on the shaft, means for retarding the speed of rotation of the sleeve on the shaft, a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one, end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, the cord; being adapted to be wound, around: the sleeve and to slowly rotate said sleeve as it unwinds and when fully unwound to increase its radius relative to said rotatable valve member and therefore the torque applied to the said rotatable member, causing said? member to, be. turned to close the valve.

2..- n time-d ay: dev cev for;- ac uating v lve and the like, a o a ab e a v m mb r f r open,- ing and closing-the valve, a shaft secured tQ the atable valve. m m er. a. s eev io rna ecl on he. s aft, is ou ma e ial b twe n sh t an th lee e, he spc iiy the. s id. material being such a to permit. he. lee e to rotate slowly on the shaft, a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at. one end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, the cord being adapted to be wound around the sleeve and to torque applied to the said rotatable member,

causing said member to be turned to close the valve.

7 3. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft secured to the rotatable valve member, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, means for retarding the speed of rotation of the sleeve on the shaft, a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, a member normally non-rotatable relative to the rotatable valve member projecting at substantiallyright angles thereto, and a catch on the projecting part of the sleeve, said catch being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engage said projecting member'and turn the rotatable valve member.

4. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft secured to the rotatable valve member, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, viscous material between the shaft and the sleeve, the viscosity of the said material being such that the sleeve will rotate slowly relative to the shaft, a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, a member normally nonrotatable relative to the rotatable valve member projecting at substantially right angles thereto, and a catch on the projecting part of the sleeve, said catch being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engage said projecting member and turn the rotatable valve member.

5. In a time-delay device for actuating valve and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft secured to the rotatable valve member, the centre line of said shaft being offset from the centre line of said rotatable valve member, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, the cord being adapted to be wound around the sleeve and to slowly rotate said sleeve as it unwinds and when fully unwound to increase its radius relative to said rotatable valve member and therefore the torque applied to the said rotatable member, causing said member to be turned to close the valve.

6. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft mounted in a housing attached to the rotatable valve member and normally non-rotatable relative to the housing, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, means for retarding the speed of rotation of the sleeve on the shaft, a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, a member projecting from the housing substantially at right angles to the axis of the shaft and a catch on the projecting part of the sleeve, said catch being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engage the projecting member and turn the rotatable valve member.

7. In a time-delay device for actuating Valves and the like, a, rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft secured to the rotatable valve member, a, sleeve journalled on the shaft, means for retarding the speed of rotation of the sleeve on the shaft, a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, a member normally non-rotatable relative to. the rotatable member projecting at substantially right angles to the axis of the rotatable member and a bellcrank lever pivotally fastened to the projecting part of the sleeve, said bell-crank lever being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engag the projecting member to turn the movable valve member.

8. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft secured to the rotatable valve member, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, viscous material between the shaft and the sleeve, the viscosity of the said material being such that the sleeve will rotate slowly relative to the shaft, a disc mounted on and substantially at right angles to the sleeve, a catch on the disc, a cord connected at one end near the periphery of the disc, means for exerting a pull on the cord, a member normally non-rotatable relative to the rotatable valve member extending at substantially right angles to the axis of the said member, said catch being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engage the projecting member and turn the rotatable valve member.

9. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft' secured to the rotatable valve member, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, viscous material between the shaft and the sleeve, the viscosity of the said material being such that the sleeve will rotate slowly relative to the shaft, a disc mounted on and substantially at right angles to the sleeve, a catch on the disc, a cord connected at one end near the periphery of the disc, a weight secured to the other end of the cord, a member projecting from the housing substantially at right angles to the axis of the said member, said catch being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engage the projecting member and turn the rotatable valve member.

10. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a, rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a shaft secured to the rotatable valve member, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, viscous material between the shaft and the sleeve, the viscosity of the said material being such that the sleeve will rotate slowly relative to the shaft but when the torque is increased a predetermined amount the shaft will be turned, a part projecting outwardly from thesleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, weight secured to the other end of the cord, a member normally non-rotatable relative to the shaft projecting at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft, a catch on the projecting part of the sleeve, said catch being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engage said projecting member and turn the shaft thus turning the movable valve member, a calibrated disc mounted on the sleeve, the plane of the surface ofsaid disc being substantially. at right angles to the centre line of the sleeve, and a handle adapted to rotate the disc and thus the sleeve to wind the cord about the sleeve.

11. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, means for limiting the rotation of the said rotatable valve member, a shaft mounted in ahousing'attached to the rotatable valve member, a clutch normally securing the shaft non-rotatably relative to the housing but permitting the shaft to rotate relative to the housing when rotation of the valve member is stopped by said. means for limiting its rotation, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, means for retarding the rotation of the sleeve on the shaft, .a part projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, means for exerting a pull on the cord, the cord being adapted to be wound around the sleeve and to slowly rotate said sleeve as it unwinds and when fully unwound to increase its radius relative to said rotatable valve member and therefore the torque applied to the said rotatable member, causing said member to be turned to close the valve.

12. In a time-delay device for actuating valves and the like, a rotatable valve member for opening and closing the valve, a stop for limiting the rotation of the said valve member, a shaft mountedin a housing attached to the rotatable valve member, .a screw normally securing the shaft non-rotatably relative to the housing but permitting the shaft to slip relative to the screw and to rotate relative to the housing when rotation of the rotatable valve member is prevented by the stop, a sleeve journalled on the shaft, viscous material between the shaft and the sleeve,

the viscosity of the said material being such that the sleeve will rotate slowly relative to the shaft, apart projecting outwardly from the sleeve, a cord connected at one end to the outwardly projecting part, a, Weight securedto the other end of thecord, a member projecting from the housing substantially at right angles to the axis of the shaft and, a catch on the projecting part of the sleeve, said catch being operable by the cord when the cord is unwound to engage the projecting memberand turn the shaft thus turning the movable valve member.

RUDOLF, D. DELAME-RE. 

